For sport shooting, it is interesting for the shooter to shoot a double. The launching apparatus must launch simultaneously two targets called clay pigeons. The lavnching of this double must be carried out according to very precise standards as to the identical or different trajectories of the targets, as to the angle of spacing of the respective trajectories, as to their departure, their altitude, etc.
Up to the present, there are specific machines for double launching. These machines are very cumbersome in that they cannot serve other than for double shooting. The adjustments of the double are often laborious and cannot be carried out other than by persons completely understanding the machine.
Another problem also arises for apparatus for launching targets, concerning the supply of the drums of the targets. The drums, in competition, must be often resupplied. This often poses problems of manipulation.
The state of the art can be defined by the following patents:
French patent application filed Sep. 2, 1993 under No. 93.10640: apparatus of the type for launching clay pigeons or movable targets for sport shooting using a rotatable supply drum for movable targets, one or several motors ensuring the rotation of the rotatable drum and the movement of the ejection arm, actuating means in rotation ensuring the rotation of the assembly on the support which is anchored to the ground, characterized by the fact that the drum assembly, launching ramp, motors, are articulatedly mounted on an assembly support which surrounds a vertical axle secured to the anchoring support; a motor ensures, by a cam and an articulation rod, the adjustment of the horizontal positioning of the shooting axis and the opening of the horizontal angle.
EP-0592.344 A1: apparatus for launching targets for shooting whose speed and distance of projection are variable, of the type using a rotatable drum into which are loaded movable targets; the movable targets are superposed on each other in columns, maintained by tubes or vertical rollers disposed between an upper recessed holding plate or having radial arms for storage of movable targets and a lower recessed holding plate at the level of each column of targets or having arms radiating between each column of targets; said lower plate being in upper position parallel to a fixed base plate which comprises a single recess so as to permit the passage of movable targets which are received on a launching plate disposed in front of an ejection arm, one or several motors ensuring the rotation of the drum and the movement of the ejection arm characterized by the fact that the launching plate is comprised by a fixed launching ramp and a movable launching ramp are articulated about a substantially transverse pivoting axis wherein the upper surfaces of said ramps are at a same height lower than and parallel to the trajectory of the assembly of the ejection arm.
The launcher is comprised of a chassis which is movably mounted on a base, vertically and horizontally movably. On the chassis are mounted two independent launching arms, each adjacent a supply magazine, said magazines can be loaded with different sized targets. A vertically movable plate permits supplying the targets toward the common launching plate to the two launching arms. A transmission controls both the cocking of the arms and the supply of the targets by a set of springs, pulleys, chains and rods.
This latter patent discloses on the one hand the drawback of a specific launcher for double launching and on the other hand the complexity of production and adjustment of said launcher so that the double firing will be perfect.
The apparatus according to the invention overcomes all these drawbacks.
It permits producing a launcher particularly for double firing and this, essentially with material already existing and whose reliability is known. It increases the autonomy of a launcher because of the double supply drums.